Transcript Highlights:

• We voted unanimously, I think, on the rest of the calendar, but yet you continued to block us out.
• </c> but yet you continued to block us out. but yet you continued to block us out.
• </c><00:14:19.199><c> So,</c><00:14:19.440><c> no,</c> and turn into a grain of salt.
• So, no, and turn into a grain of salt.
• </c> points, 11 rebounds, and three block points, 11 rebounds, and three block shots<01:38:40.960><c>

Summary: The Alabama Senate convened with prayer, the pledge, and a roll call establishing a quorum. Senators then adopted the prior day’s journal and excused absent members. A lengthy point of personal privilege followed, in which Senator Smith criticized the prior day’s handling of the special order calendar and argued that minority-party senators were denied the chance to speak, while Senator Coleman said Senate Bill 318 had been removed from the calendar and tied that to Child Abuse Prevention Month; she also noted Senate Bill 43, which would provide civil recourse for child sex assault survivors, had not advanced. The presiding officer also recognized guests in the gallery, including staff from the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention and members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The Senate then received multiple committee reports, largely on a unanimous or near-unanimous basis. Finance and Taxation Education reported favorably on House Bills 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 565, 517, and 98, and Senate Bill 380, with some substitutes or amendments; Finance and Taxation General Fund reported Senate Bill 378 favorably; County and Municipal Government reported House Bills 568, 499, and 433; Education Policy reported House Bills 8 and 380; Banking and Insurance reported House Bill 545; Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development reported House Bill 586 with two nays; Healthcare reported House Bills 533 and 605; Tourism and Marketing reported House Bills 513 and 626 and Senate Bill 357; and local legislation committees reported several Mobile County and Madison County bills, including Senate Bill 379 relating to Madison County and various House bills, all advancing to the next legislative day. In motions and resolutions, the Senate agreed to allow committee reports to be received at any time during the day. Several resolutions were introduced and referred to the Rules Committee, including Senate Joint Resolution 100 honoring Presley Skelton, SJR 101 commending Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, SJR 102 establishing the Alabama Forest Products Retention and Pulp and Paper Mill Stability Study Commission, SJR 103 mourning Norman Wendell Arnold, and SJR 104 designating Alabama as the river state. The chamber also suspended the rules to take up Senate Joint Resolution 105, commending Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth for his service; the resolution included a lengthy recitation of his background and accomplishments and was read for immediate consideration with all senators added as sponsors.

Transcript Highlights:

• device-level protection, including what's called endpoint detection and response, EDR, which helps block
• We also get active defense against malicious domains by malicious domain blocking and reporting, or MDBR
• device-level protection, including what's called endpoint detection and response, EDR, which helps block
• We also get active defense against malicious domains by malicious domain blocking and reporting, or MDBR
• We also get active defense against malicious domains by malicious domain blocking and reporting, or MDBR

Committee: Senate Elections

Transcript Highlights:

• And then uh the SALT deduction.
• And then uh the salt All right.
• While the changes to salt deduction cap.
• While the changes to the<00:38:14.960><c> salt</c><00:38:15.280><c> deduction</c><00:38:15.760><c> do
• </c><00:38:33.200><c> cap</c> directly tied to the TCGA salt cap directly tied to the TCGA salt cap limitation

Committee: Senate Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• places in which ranked choice voting is already taking place, places like Seattle, Portland, Oregon, Salt
• I listed some of the cities: Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake, New York, and I was reminded later that it
• right now I view rank choice voting as more experimental I listed some of the cities Seattle Portland Salt
• heard in testimony one thing that stuck out to me was one of the testifiers discussed small plastic blocks
• Small plastic blocks that kids play with and how the containers become as much a part of the toy as the

Summary: The committee began with a public hearing on Substitute House Bill 1592, which would change how state public defense funds are distributed and, in the substitute version, keep current law on state funding responsibility while revising the allocation formula. Staff explained the bill would shift county and city distributions to a pro rata, caseload-based model, allow very low-density counties to request OPD to provide some or all public defense services, require additional data collection and reporting, and direct OPD to study caseload reductions and retention. Representative Peterson said the bill is meant to create a better structure for future state support of indigent defense without the very large cost of the original proposal. Testimony from counties, cities, OPD, defenders, and local officials was strongly supportive, emphasizing a statewide public defense crisis, rising local costs, staffing shortages, and the need for a fairer funding model. The committee then heard Substitute House Bill 1742 on environmentally sustainable urban design and Substitute House Bill 1906 on water system regulation and water rates. HB 1742 would create a center in Ecology to promote sustainable urban design, fund design competitions and grants, and establish an advisory council; the sponsor said the bill reflects a desire to support a pilot project through alternative funding, and there was no public testimony. HB 1906 would require more planning and notice for Group A water systems, add customer notice and right-of-first-refusal provisions for some ownership changes, and direct the UTC to consider external funding sources, capital planning, and rate smoothing when setting water rates. Water utility and PUD witnesses supported the goal of improving transparency and consolidation of failing small systems, while noting the substitute reduced some fiscal concerns. The committee also heard HB 2248 on Secretary of State corporate and charity filings, HB 2438 creating the SEED scholarship for early childhood education students, and HB 2515 addressing emerging large energy use facilities such as data centers. HB 2248 would redirect part of annual filing fees to the Secretary of State revolving fund, require initial reports from nonprofits and LLPs, and change trademark certificate procedures; the fiscal note showed modest revenue losses, and the division supported restoring the fee split for operational funding. HB 2438 would transfer $10 million annually from the GET account to fund scholarships and wraparound services for early childhood education degree seekers, with testimony from early learning advocates and a student describing workforce shortages and personal financial barriers. HB 2515 drew extensive testimony both for and against: supporters said it would protect ratepayers, water resources, and grid reliability by requiring tariffs, reporting, clean-energy requirements, and a fee on large energy users; opponents argued it singled out data centers, could hurt investment and jobs, and included unrelated labor and procurement provisions. After public testimony, the committee moved into executive-session briefing on several bills and amendments, including HB 1903 on statewide low-income energy assistance, HB 1909 on a court unification task force, HB 1982 on vacating certain convictions tied to treaty Indian rights, HB 2034 on LEOFF Plan 1 retirement changes, HB 2105 on employer notice of federal I-9 audits, HB 2210 on ranked-choice voting, HB 2215 on Climate Commitment Act fuel supplier obligations, and HB 2271 on post-consumer recycled content requirements. Staff summarized proposed substitutes and amendments, with several changes aimed at reducing or shifting fiscal impacts, narrowing agency duties, or striking provisions entirely.

Transcript Highlights:

• Speaking in support are Adriana Guerrero, Executive Director of Salted Roots, and Alfredo Arredondo,
• My name is Adriana Guerrero, and I'm the executive director of Salted Roots, a proud co-sponsor of AB
• Salted Roots, formerly operating as Brown Girl Surf, received our first government grant through the
• On behalf of Salted Roots and the Surf Justice Collective, I respectfully ask for your aye vote.
• unfortunately, even though these projects have a plethora of benefits, some cities still look for ways to block

Summary: The committee heard a long series of bills, beginning with AB 2026 on groundwater recharge. The author and supporters said the bill would streamline permitting for recharge projects, codify long-standing CEQA exemptions for flood diversions to recharge, and add tribal consultation and other guardrails. Water agencies and local districts supported the measure as a way to capture high-flow water and reduce groundwater subsidence, while environmental groups and some irrigation districts opposed it, warning that the bill’s exemptions and broader diversion authority could harm rivers, Delta resources, and public trust values. The bill was discussed but not voted on because the committee lacked a quorum at that point. The committee then took up AB 1577 on data center energy accountability, which would require monthly reporting of energy-use data and permit-related estimates of energy and water demand. The author and the Little Hoover Commission argued the bill would improve transparency, help protect ratepayers, and give regulators better information for grid planning. Data center industry representatives opposed it as duplicative, burdensome, and uniquely targeted, while local governments, environmental groups, and some utilities supported it or supported it if amended. The bill was later reported out with a due pass recommendation once a quorum was established. Members also heard AB 2245 on a producer responsibility program for lubricant products and containers, AB 2170 on CEQA language-access and environmental review protections for overburdened communities, AB 2059 on rural transportation and VMT mitigation, AB 1808 on Western Joshua tree permitting and fee relief, AB 2182 on industrial energy efficiency program changes, and AB 2231 on streamlining two hospital projects. Testimony was mixed on most of these bills: supporters emphasized affordability, local control, environmental justice, or project urgency, while opponents raised concerns about CEQA scope, regulatory duplication, costs, and environmental impacts. Several measures received due pass recommendations and roll-call votes, including AB 2170, AB 2059, AB 1808, AB 2182, and AB 2231, with some members voting no or not voting and some bills left open for absent members.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is no less amount of salt we can buy.
• There is no less amount of salt we can buy.
• /c><00:49:42.240><c> less</c><00:49:42.559><c> amount</c><00:49:42.800><c> of</c><00:49:42.960><c> salt
• </c> is no uh there is no less amount of salt is no uh there is no less amount of salt we<00:49:43.440
• </c> dirt to to to block the block the sound. dirt to to to block the block the sound.

Committee: Senate Transportation

Transcript Highlights:

• Right now, we mostly know about the salt concentration, but as John mentioned, there are other constituents
• We found that the data was quite limited, focusing only on the salt composition and some major ions.
• We measured pH, electrical conductivity (an indicator of salt in the water), oxidation-reduction potential
• The average is 8,000 mg per liter, but these salt concentrations in the brackish water are distributed
• So the worst-case scenario, as you mentioned, is that we may not be able to utilize all the salts.

Committee: House Water & Natural Resources Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• Some of that to screen to buy salt here and it still do. But I hope one of the need to come on.
• We can vote on a block vote and I would open that up for discussion now.
• Then on the following appointees in block. We will vote in block on. >> It's the staff's correct.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and a lot of the research there I'll talk about with looking at recycling used fuel using molten salt
• Most of the actual infrastructure is below ground there in the disposal, in the salt that’s disposed
• So think of almost like your table salt at a really high temperature, and it's molten.
• So think of almost like your table salt at a really high temperature, and it's molten.
• The electrochemical molten-salt waste is not in this liquid form.

Committee: Joint Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• It deals with the possibilities of acquiring habitat, salt marsh habitat, or other habitats and bottoms
• um possibilities of acquiring acquiring acquiring habitat<01:19:52.719><c> uh</c><01:19:52.880><c> salt
• marsh it it might be or habitat uh salt marsh it it might be or other<01:19:55.239><c> habitats</c><
• Salt water is a natural buffer for the deposition of carbon and helps to reduce the acidification of
• </c><01:22:41.880><c> water</c><01:22:42.159><c> is</c><01:22:42.280><c> a</c> into the Great Bay salt

Transcript Highlights:

• So it's illegal and unconstitutional for the administration to block the grant funding just because the
• the grant funding just because to block the grant funding just because the<00:36:54.880><c> president
• PEPAR, which has saved chopping block.
• </c><04:23:25.600><c> funding</c> illegal actions, blocking funding illegal actions, blocking funding
• Middle School in in Salt Lake City, Miss Middle School in in Salt Lake City, Miss Posey<06:42:05.200>

Bills: HB2056 , HR4 , SB331

Keywords: immigration, sanctuary jurisdiction, federal compliance, District of Columbia, law enforcement, House of Representatives, election, Speaker, Clerk, Congress, fentanyl, controlled substances, drug trafficking, public health, research regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you talk a little bit about, after the SALT deduction was changed eight years ago—maybe six years
• So, in 2017, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress imposed what's called a SALT cap deduction.
• SALT is an acronym that stands for state and local taxes, and businesses are able to take a deduction
• And so that was a response to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the SALT cap limitation.
• So, in 2017, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress imposed what's called a SALT cap deduction.

Committee: House Taxes

Transcript Highlights:

• And I feel that we have the building blocks, with the investment that we've made, to really be able to
• That all sounds good, but most people won't fly to Salt Lake City to do a meeting with some of the branches
• Salt Lake City is a designated headquarters for the Western region, and that will take some getting used
• would have said about their growing-up experience with broccoli in the wintertime when it was a frozen block

Summary: The meeting began with a lengthy opening discussion with Secretary Karen Ross of the Department of Food and Agriculture, who reviewed the department’s proposed budget, emphasized California agriculture’s record output, and highlighted major priorities including climate-smart agriculture, groundwater management, local food systems, farm-to-school, food hubs, invasive pest prevention, bird flu response, and food safety. She also warned about federal budget cuts, especially at USDA and FDA, and discussed market access challenges abroad, rising input costs, labor shortages, and the need for automation and workforce training. Members raised questions about the future of Farm to School, the California Nutrition Incentive Program/Market Match, local food procurement, and how to better connect farmers to schools, food banks, and food hubs; Ross said the department had strong evidence the program benefits small farms and Title I schools and noted continued interest in building out local food infrastructure. The committee then took up item one on eliminating vacant positions at the Departments of Fish and Wildlife, Parks and Recreation, and Food and Agriculture. The Legislative Analyst’s Office explained that the Governor proposed eliminating 6,000 vacant positions statewide, with the Joint Legislative Budget Committee previously rejecting 650 of them, including 174 in these three departments. LAO and Finance said the vacancies represented a source of budget flexibility, but warned that eliminating them could create program impacts; LAO recommended retaining the special-funded positions at Fish and Wildlife and Food and Agriculture, while weighing the General Fund positions against other priorities. Finance argued the reductions were part of a broader budget-resiliency exercise and that departments could reclassify or shift vacancies to higher priorities. Members focused heavily on the practical impacts of the cuts. Assemblymember Petrie-Norris argued that Fish and Wildlife staffing shortages were already slowing permits needed for housing, clean energy, water, and transportation projects, and questioned the value of saving relatively small amounts of money. Fish and Wildlife officials said the department had prioritized mission-critical work and could still meet permitting obligations, but acknowledged limited-term staffing constraints. State Parks said the proposed ranger and maintenance cuts would not have immediate effects but could slow maintenance and eventually worsen deferred maintenance. Food and Agriculture said some of the eliminated positions supported early pest detection and eradication, but that the department believed it could still meet its mandate and reclassify positions if needed. The chair and several members signaled concern about the Fish and Wildlife and Parks cuts, while also noting the broader need for budget reductions. The committee then moved to item six, hearing an overview from the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. Staff described the office’s role in CEQA implementation and said the budget requests were baseline funding to maintain existing functions, including IT services and administrative/legislative support, rather than new programs. The chair asked the presenters to move quickly through background material so the committee could get to questions, and the item began with no votes taken during the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Block. Senator Boone.
• Senator Block. Senator Block votes no. Senator Boone. Senator Boone votes no. Senator Brandt.
• Senator Block. Mr.
• Senator Block, please. Mr.
• It's about time that Senator Block might remove that block off of his shoulder, you know.

Summary: The Senate convened, initially lacked a quorum, then established one and opened with prayer, pledges in English, Navajo, and Spanish, and the salute to the New Mexico flag. Members then moved through announcements and recognitions, including permission for cameras on the floor and gallery, and certificates honoring Santa Fe County Day and Soil and Water Conservation District Day. Senators spoke in support of both recognitions, emphasizing Santa Fe County’s history, cultural and economic contributions, and the conservation districts’ role in stewardship, agriculture, and conservation work across the state. The chamber also welcomed numerous guests, honorary lieutenant governors, student shadows, and seniors visiting the Capitol. The Senate confirmed two State Investment Council appointments. Mary Patricia Roman was confirmed 31-0 after debate highlighting her decades of global investment experience, leadership in private banking, and service on the SIC investment committee. John F. Bingaman was then confirmed 32-0 for reappointment, with senators citing his finance background, prior service as governor’s chief of staff, and role in state economic and early childhood policy. Members also discussed his leadership on the council and the importance of strong management of the state’s permanent funds. On legislation, Senate Memorial 3 passed 27-0. The memorial, developed with the Wild Friends civics and science program, invites state agencies to participate in an insect identification and education workshop with UNM’s Museum of Southwestern Biology and the Xerces Society. The Senate also received House messages and adopted several committee reports, including referrals and passage recommendations for multiple bills and memorials. Later, the chamber debated Senate Bill 145, which would consolidate certain federal audit reporting into a single submission and adjust audit requirements for smaller entities and acequias; supporters said it would streamline compliance without changing audit requirements, while opponents raised concerns about auditor business, oversight, and the risk of weakening scrutiny. The bill remained under debate in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• supposed to have your Coast Guard certification when you go into those waters because they go from salt
• of water, where they can go into Texas and other states, and the water switches from freshwater to salt
• Freshwater or salt?
• of water, where they can go into Texas and other states, and the water switches from freshwater to salt
• Freshwater or salt. Okay, well. Thank you. charter fishermen. Fresh water are sold. Okay, well.

Bills: HR210 , HR211 , HR212 , HR213 , HR214 , HR215 , HR216 , HR217 , HR196 , HR197 , HR198 , HR199 , HR200 , HR201 , HR203 , HR204 , HR205 , HR206 , HR207 , HR208 , HR209 , HCR87 , HCR88 , HCR89 , HCR90 , HR118 , HCR63 , HCR69 , HCR86 , SCR6 , SCR18 , HB79 , HB165 , HB175 , HB198 , HB437 , HB457 , HB488 , HB603 , HB646 , HB763 , HB902 , HB909 , HB971 , HB981 , HB1066 , HB1089 , HB1099 , HB1125 , HB1154 , HB1231 , HB1245 , HB1246 , HB1247 , HB1248 , HB1249 , SB47 , SB82 , SB106 , SB206 , SB210 , SB248 , SB305 , SB376 , SB397 , SB441 , HCR41 , HCR76 , HCR77 , SCR19 , SCR3 , HB64 , HB68 , HB92 , HB316 , HB549 , HB578 , HB748 , HB798 , HB824 , HB988 , HB989 , HB1001 , HB1032 , HB1081 , HB1108 , HB1129 , HB1140 , HB1157 , HB1192 , HB1195 , HB1198 , HB1244 , HB167 , HB227 , HB243 , HB321 , HB335 , HB398 , HB492 , HB624 , HB689 , HB708 , HB804 , HB906 , HB926 , HB955 , HB968 , HB969 , HB978 , HB985 , HB1005 , HB1029 , HB1069 , HB1077 , HB1095 , HB1104 , HB1107 , HB1187 , HB1203 , HB1217 , HB1220 , SB73 , SB89 , SB128 , SB149 , SB191 , SB196 , SB238 , SB318 , SB340 , SB66 , SB68 , SB76 , SB139 , SB336 , SB475 , HCR32 , HB181 , HB1118 , HB1082 , HB225 , HB864 , HB1166 , HB1189 , HB59 , HB617 , HB897 , HB911 , HB1223 , HB901 , HR20 , HR74 , HB284 , HB306 , HB366 , HB393 , HB458 , HB459 , HB577 , HB582 , HB605 , HB614 , HB682 , HB733 , HB752 , HB773 , HB996 , HB1035 , HB1113 , HB1180 , HB1234 , HB1240

Summary: The House met on April 27, 2026, with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a series of personal privileges recognizing Domestic Violence Prevention and Advocacy Day, Guarantee Corporation’s 100th anniversary, Delta Waterfowl, FFA and 4-H students, St. Bernard Parish Day, the Louisiana Notary Association, and New Orleans Day. The chamber also received Senate messages, committee reports, and introduced several resolutions, including measures on Gulf States renewable energy, asthma and allergy awareness, St. Bernard Parish Day, and other commemorations. The floor then took up a long series of bills and resolutions. Among the notable measures were House Bill 316 on literacy and tutoring, House Bill 578 changing statutory references from gender to sex, House Bill 748 expanding toll exemptions for school board vehicles, House Bill 101 redesignating a portion of U.S. Highway 190 as the Jesse Jackson Memorial Highway, House Bill 1032 cleaning up DWI terminology, House Bill 1081 transferring the Louisiana Ports and Waterways Investment Commission, House Bill 1108 creating a homeschool pride prestige plate, House Bill 1129 giving in-state auctioneers preference for selling surplus state property, House Bill 1157 creating a Louisiana State Infrastructure Bank, House Bill 1192 creating a dental hygienist prestige plate, House Bill 1195 revising athletic commission rules and NIL-related provisions, House Bill 1198 barring arbitration in child custody and visitation matters, House Bill 181 allowing limited tax-data sharing for Medicaid/SNAP integrity, House Bill 1118 requiring disclosure of hospital ownership by real estate investment trusts, House Bill 1082 changing venue rules in suits involving municipal police employees’ retirement systems, House Bill 225 proposing a lifetime two-term limit for governor, House Bill 864 on municipal fire limits and storage of flammables, House Bill 1189 requiring captain’s licenses for certain freshwater charter guides, and House Bill 549 creating the Bayou Growth Opportunity Workforce Program. Most measures passed, often after brief debate and technical amendments. Several bills were recommitted or returned to the calendar, including House Bill 902, House Bill 1245, and House Bill 1247, while House Bill 225 failed on final passage. The House also considered and passed multiple Senate bills dealing with tax administration, child custody testimony, Supreme Court disciplinary jurisdiction over out-of-state lawyers, civil investigation demands in Medicaid fraud cases, service of process fees and notice, and permanent homestead exemption registration. The session ended with the House in recess after completing its bill agenda for the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• In Salt Lake traffic, it matters less because usually you’re in traffic and everybody’s going 55, 60
• So we recognize trucks passing on two-lane highways and left lane being blocked. We’re governed.

Committee: House Transportation and Defense

Transcript Highlights:

• You're going to see the things we're talking about today are, you're just basic blocking and tackling
• And so, one of the locations we actually do commercial drive tests right now is an old salt and sand

Transcript Highlights:

• When we look at HUD, community development block grants, of course, are critical for our infrastructure
• Certainly, salt deduction is something that we were happy to see increase, even though it is temporary

Committee: House Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee

Transcript Highlights:

• charged with to work and the suspect was charged with fifth<00:04:24.160><c> degree</c><00:04:24.479><c> salt
• This</c><00:04:25.040><c> is</c><00:04:25.280><c> before</c><00:04:25.600><c> this</c> fifth degree salt
• This is before this fifth degree salt.

Transcript Highlights:

• while providing a state business taxpayer a higher federal deduction, which would be limited under the SALT
• state business taxpayer a higher federal deduction, which would be limited under what's called the SALT